Premiere Watch '08: Ugly Betty

Ugly Betty:

"The Manhattan Project"

Hmm, well, this wasn't my favorite episode of Ugly Betty ever. Probably because it focused so much on Betty, and she's become my least favorite part of the show. And because it was also so sappy.

I was literally gagging during Betty's conversation with Ignacio towards the end of the episode ("Growing up...that's what you're doing right now."). The episode was trying to be heartfelt, but it came off as heavy-handed and repetitious. If this it the kind of TV America Ferrera likes, no wonder she thinks Gossip Girl is too "mean." Frankly, as far as TV shows go, I'll take mean over sappy. It's far more entertaining.

Also, I guarantee you that Blair Waldorf is 30 times smarter than Betty Suarez. Renting an apartment, sight unseen? Seriously? What does a show featuring a young woman making such a silly decision teach girls? Gossip Girl might be mean, but at least its heroine isn't a freaking moron.

It was downright impressive how fast Betty dispatched both Henry AND Gio. (Boy, hasn't the main-character-has-a-choice-between-two-love-interests-but-picks-neither storyline become a cliche on TV these days?) Not that getting rid of them both in the first 2 minutes wasn't absolutely the right thing for the show to do, but dispatching so much of what last season was all about so quickly smacks of an admission that last season was a big waste of our time.

Other thoughts:

• Justin: "I was trying to put the 'U' in 'uniform'."
• "Kimmie" isn't very good at putting 2 and 2 together; I assume Betty's dad happened to mention the name of his daughter if he told her all those other things about Betty. And she should know his last name if she's his boss. Thus, put the first name with that last name, and there you go: Betty Suarez. I think perhaps Kimmie's lack of problem-solving skills might explain why she's hit this dead-end time in her life.
• The song they were playing when Betty first walked into the Player magazine office was soooo a Dick Casablancas song. Is it the one he played while ghost riding his car (and running over his foot)?
• One of Wilhelmina's favorite things is "Karl Rove." Ha, two funny Karl Rove allusions in one week.
• That apartment is huge! It must cost $4,000+ a month to rent that thing in Manhattan!
• The best part of Ugly Betty is when Marc and Willy just stand around and give each other evil looks.
• Amanda: "Marc wanted to see all the girls in bikinis."
• Hilda: "If push comes to shove, I'm ready to kick her ass. I've got my big ring on."
• Betty blowing a rape whistle when opening her apartment door on the intruders.

Premiere Rating: 4.0/10

(photo: ABC)